While commenting on the latest playtest packet for D&D next. I offered an alternative rule for weapon and spell damage delivery. Instead of rolling damage based on the weapon used, each weapon is assigned a base and maximum damage range. Example: A hand axe base damage is 3 max damage is 6. Half the maximum rounded down is the formula. Weapons max damage can be exceeded by feats or bonuses due to ability scores. However, the damage dealt is determined by the attack rolls level of success. Example:Rex needs to roll a 15 on a d20 to hit a goblin chanter with his hand axe. Rex rolls a 17 and deals 5 points of damage to the goblin chanter. Now if Rex rolled a 19 one would think that the hand axe delivers 7 points of damage. This could not occur as the maximum damage range for a hand axe is 6. However, if Rex's character received a bonus to damage due to a high strength this could exceed the weapons maximum damage range. So if 6 points is the maximum and Rex gets a +2 to damage because of a strength or skill, or feat modifier. The total damage dealt would be 8 points of damage.
Now I was thinking of changing the critical threat rule to be based on how successful a characters attack roll is as opposed to just a weapons threat range. So currently a battle axes threat range is a 20 on a d20. However, with my alternate rule a weapons threat range is the minimum role required to cause a critical strike. Though the actual attack role would need to succeed by enough points for the weapon to deliver its maximum damage range. Obviously, a weapons threat range would have to be adjusted from its current formula. A quick and fast rule could be as follows small weapons threat range is 18, medium weapon threat range equals 16, and a large weapon equals threat range 14. In the case of a giant's weapon "aka" a two handed giants sword the threat range would be 10. Hence forth making massive weaponry more dangerous. No weapon or natural attack can have a threat range of less than 10. Example: Forseth the fire giant swings his massive two handed sword at Rex's barbarian. The fire giant needs a 13 to hit Rex's barbarian. An 18 is rolled on the fire giants attack die and delivers 16 points of weapon damage (plus 15 due to the giants modifiers, ouch!), still 2 points shy of the weapons maximum damage range. So even though the fire giant rolled the minimum for his weapons threat range, no critical result would occur because the attack did not deliver the weapons maximum damage range. However, if a 20 was rolled a critical hit would of been scored. Now, there would be a chart based on percentage of damage delivered. Obviously a dagger would never achieve the same level of critical success as a Great Sword. However, this is my idea for an Advanced rule system for D&D next. As IMHO, I feel Hasbro should release three rule sets for D&D next. One as a basic quick and fast rule set simply character creation and simply cut and paste approach to combat. Then based on feed back can create their professional rule set. This would expand on the basic rule set and allow for more options. The final rule set would be advanced and would allow for the most realistic and varied approach to the game.
Spells would have to be revamped to fit the simply logic structure of that needs to be defined. Hence, some spells would get a level bump or decline while other spells would have to be modified to fit the new structure. Zero level spells cannot have multiple functions and deal no more than 2 points of damage, or heal more than 2 points of damage. Bonuses to skills and saves cannot exceed 1 and maximum range for a zero level spell is 30 yards. First level spells start the boost maximum is 6 points of damage or healing and +2 or -2 to skills and saves. Maximum range for a 1st level spell is 100 yards. So a zero level spell may begin with a 10 yard range and be expanded up to 30 yards based on caster level. First level spells would begin with a 20 yard range and be expanded up to 100 yards per caster level. Second level spells would be able to deliver 12 points of damage or heal 12 points, provide a maximum bonus of +4 or -4 to ability scores or skill bonuses. The maximum range would be 200 yards, with begining range of 40 yards expandable to 200 yards based on the casters level. So a zero level spell base is zero meaning a save negates all damage or effects while success delivers 1 or 2 points of damage maximum on a failed save. First level spells base would be 2 with maximum of 6 points a successful save may negate a spells effect , though it would not negate all damage or result in no damage being healed. In this ways a spells power is easily determined making for easier spell creation rules and a spells effect is not just negated because a save was successful. Instead level of the spell and other factors would determine if their is a lesser effect or the major effect. Making spell casters more potent overall, as their spells will usually have negative or positive effects when they are cast.
I hope this helps.
Later
Aoric (Also known as Argon on the canonfire.com website)
for the whole adventure)
